Despite Netbook Popularity, Consumers Still Want Notebooks – IDC.

Despite of rather aggressive promotion of ultra low-cost personal computers (ULCPCs) by system vendors and chip designers, average consumers still prefer notebooks. Even in Asia most buyers want to have fully-fledged personal computers, not inexpensive, but underpowered netbooks.

“Despite netbooks flying off the shelves, which helped to buoy PC volumes especially during the economic crisis in 2009, limited cannibalization of regular notebook sales is expected across the region. Among the survey respondents, 60% indicated that they would still purchase a regular notebook as their next PC”, said Reuben Tan, senior manager of Asia/Pacific personal systems research at IDC.

In 2009, the average household in the Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region has two PCs and bought a netbook as an additional PC, according to a recent IDC survey-based report. The survey, which polled 2263 new PC buyers across the APEJ region for their PC buying preferences, covered Australia, India, Korea, Malaysia, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Across the region, PCs were primarily used for online news and information, followed by entertainment/games, and educational purposes, in respective order. No surprise that netbooks have actually become rather popular. Still, only in Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand netbooks were used as the main PCs by over 30% of users.

According to IDC, most respondents in China, India, Malaysia, and Singapore indicated that the length of warranty and after-sales support were the most important factors influencing their decision in purchasing a new PC. On the other hand, PC brand and store location were among the least important concerns when purchasing a new PC.

Discussion

That should be obvious. In ability to store a lot of data plus lack of any optical media support? Not to mention that many would be turned off by the smaller screen sizes and weird touchpad/button placements.

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My wife has a dell mini 9 and loves it. What all these people raising ruckus need to understand is netbooks, notebooks, and desktops all have their places. Desktops for high power, big screens & storage. Netbooks for low cost, portability, and efficiency. Notebooks for a blend of the two (in many cases, they become more desktop replacements due to their 17" cumbersome-ness).

My only beef with netbooks was when they started moving away from the original vision of Asus and the eeePC- low cost, low power. The netbook's original intent was to do just that- surf the 'net. Suddenly, not only do consumers expect full blown desktop replacements, but manufacturers try to cram unnecessary features in to jack up the price (and in effect ^ profit margin).